Volume 3, Number 2
September 2005

Improving the Presentations of INMM – The Quest Continues

Every morning at the speaker’s breakfast of the 46th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management in Phoenix, Paul Ebel from BE Inc., a safeguards and training company in South Carolina, continued the quest of the Technical Program Committee to improve the presentations at the INMM Annual Meetings.

Ebel started a series of short speaker training sessions two years ago at the 44th Annual Meeting and such positive results were seen from the effort that it has continued. Two years ago the primary emphasis of the training was on the “style” of presentations (being enthusiastic), and last year the emphasis was on “presentation material” (keeping slides simple and clear). This year he dealt with “generating and answering questions” (profitably using the five-minute question-and-answer period at the conclusion of each paper presentation.)

If you were at any of the speakers’ breakfasts at the 46th Annual Meeting you heard these suggestions for generating good questions from a presentation. A synopsis of that presentation is presented here.

There are ways to discourage questions and ways to encourage questions. The six most obvious ways to encourage them are listed here. These are listed in order of “severity” from the most obvious (validate a question) to the most odious (OWB).

1. Validate Questions
2. 5-Sentence or Fewer Answer
3. Appreciate Questions
4. Ask for Questions
5. Seed the Audience with Questions
6. Wait in Dead Silence for a Question (OWB

1. Validate Questions

1. The very best way is to validate a question is to repeat it.

2. It makes sure you understand the question; repeating gives it value.

3. The questioner thinks, “You are an important person and you are repeating my question.”

4. Look at them. Open your hand like receiving. Look like you care and you want their question.

2. 5-Sentence or Fewer Answer

1. There are poster children at national laboratories for abusing this hint.
2. We have all seen situations when someone asks, “What time is it?” and the speaker tells them how to build a watch.
3. A long answer at end of a presentation is a perfect way to stifle further questions.
4. Don’t use a question as a chance to lecture another five minutes.
5. Answer questions in five sentences or fewer (fewer is better) and you will get more.

3. Appreciate Questions

1. Remember, someone is taking a chance when they ask a question.
2. Make them feel good about asking a question by saying:
• Good question
• I am glad you asked that.
• Excellent, you understood just what I wanted to say.
• That is a really great question.
3. Don’t use the same phrase every time because it sounds trite.
4. If you call them an “idiot” that is the last question you will ever get.

4. Ask for Questions

1. Now we are getting to more desperate measures.
2. You can ask for questions by saying “Look folks, we have five minutes for questions, let's have some!”
3. People in the audience will respond if the lecturer asks for questions. We mean really asks instead of superficially saying, “Are there any questions?”
4. Sometimes it works to step away from the podium to make it look like this is not going to be a continuation of the lecture.

5. Seed the Audience with Questions

1. The next most desperate measure for questions.
2. This is like George Bush’s press conferences.
3. Have a friend or two in the audience already primed with good questions. If needed, they will start off the Q&A session.
4. We have found if one question is asked and answered well, then others will follow.
5. Don’t have people read the question from a piece of paper. This is an obvious ploy and a real turn-off.

1. Probably the most desperate measure for getting questions.
2. Americans in particular hate silence.
3. Sometime try sitting and looking at someone for 10 seconds.
4. If you have five minutes left, then just stand there in silence (OWB).
5. If you get one question and answer it well, then others will follow.

In conclusion, we have suggested six methods for getting questions. They are listed from the most important to the most intrusive.

1. Validate Questions
2. 5-Sentence or Fewer Answer
3. Appreciate Questions
4. Ask for Questions
5. Seed the Audience with Questions
6. Wait in Dead Silence for a Question (OWB)

The INMM Technical Program Committee will give another presentation at the next year’s speaker’s breakfast in Nashville, as the quest continues to perfect the presentations at the INMM Annual Meeting.

Your suggestions for improvement are important for the next year’s presentation. Paul Ebel would like to hear some of your nominations for the “don’t do” list for next year. You may e-mail these to him at paulebel@aol.com.